Figure Skating Blade Reference - Archives

[FigureSpins]

I don't want to resurrect the whole thread from the archives, but I thought a summary of the still-active links might be useful for reference. 

Skate Sharpening for Figure Skaters by Judy & Chuck Wright
http://gourmetskates.com/sharpening.php

What You Need to Know About Skate Sharpening by Eric Neubauer
http://www.iceskatingworld.com/library/articles/skatesharpening.html

Blade Geometry from Skateology.com
http://www.iceskateology.com/Skateology/Blade_Geometry.html
http://www.iceskateology.com/Skateology/Skateology_Manual.html

[Isk8NYC]

From Kevin's Technical Figure Skating site:

http://www.dit.upm.es/~jantonio/personal/patinaje/equip.htm#Blades

(A little out of date, but very useful if you're researching discontinued-model blades.)

Model Manufacturer Radius Hollow MSRP

Dance Blades

Coronation Dance Wilson 7' 3/8" $167
Dance 99 Wilson 8' 3/8" $240
Wilson Dance Wilson 7' 3/8" discontinued
MK Dance MK 7' 5/16" $349
Silver Dance MK 7' 7/16" $168
Super Dance 99 Wilson 8' 3/8" $338

Patch Blades

Comet Test Wilson 8.5' 1" $167
Gold Test MK 7' 1" $338
Pattern 88 Wilson 7' 1" $502
Silver Test MK 7' 1.5" $188
Wilson Figure Wilson 8' 1" $338

Freestyle Blades

Coronation Comet Wilson 8.5' 3/8" $167
Four Aces Wilson 7' 3/8" $238
Gold Seal Wilson 8' 1/2" $462
(The) Spirit Wilson 7' 1/2" $unknown (added 9/2017) - discontinued in the late 1980's
Gold Star MK 7' 7/16" $375
Gold Star MK 7' 7/16" $510 (gold)
Hans Gershwiler Wilson 7' 1/2" $418
Pattern 99 Wilson 8' 3/8" $338
Phantom Special MK 7' 7/16" $365
Vantage MK 7' 7/16" $255

Freestyle and All-Purpose Blades

Coronation Ace Wilson 7' 3/8" $157
Phantom MK 7' 7/16" $320
Professional MK 7' 7/16" $152
Select Classic MK 7' 7/16" $115

All-Purpose Blades

Majestic Wilson 6' 3/8" $102
Mercurio Wilson 6' 3/8" $77
Double Star MK 7' 1" $85
Rinkmaster MK 7' 1/2" $35
Single Star MK 7' 1/2" $93
Club 2000 MK 7' 3/8" $40

Tag: blade reference chart roh rocker

[Isk8NYC]

RSSIR Usenet Recreational Figure Skating FAQ - Blades - http://www.faqs.org/faqs/sports/skating/ice/rec-skate/blades/

[Isk8NYC]

From iskateriedell: "A Guide to Buying Figure Skate Blades"
http://www.iskateriedell.com/2011/a-guide-to-buying-figure-skate-blades/

[kiwiskater]

What about low level blades - I haven't been able to find any comparisons for things like MK IV, Club 2000, Lausanne etc - any suggestions? maybe someone here might be able to make something up if its not out there....

[Isk8NYC]

A few skate-, boot- and blade-reference links, mainly for the blade ROH, radius and style charts.

ISI District 1 Presentation at 2010 Conference:
http://www.isidistrict1.com/files/2010_Conference_EQUIPMENT_PRESENTATION_adjusted_6_PAGE.pdf

Kinzie's Closet:
https://www.kinziescloset.com/Compare_Ice_Skate_Blades.html

NB: One of our members from Canada says that recommendations are wrong for the Skate Canada levels.  However, the characteristics of the blades are correct, which is why I'm posting it here.

[Isk8NYC]

What about low level blades - I haven't been able to find any comparisons for things like MK IV, Club 2000, Lausanne etc - any suggestions? maybe someone here might be able to make something up if its not out there....

I never realized that someone COULD buy those low-level blades separate; I thought they were only available as part of a skate set.  Our pro shop owner says that they are available for order, but most shops don't stock them because no one buys them separately.  They order them if a blade is damaged and needs to be replaced, but in reality, most skaters upgrade at that point and order a better blade.

It's not really published data - someone would have to make a project out of it and contact the manufacturers for that information.

[Robin]

What about low level blades - I haven't been able to find any comparisons for things like MK IV, Club 2000, Lausanne etc - any suggestions? maybe someone here might be able to make something up if its not out there....

It could be that low-end blades just simply aren't worth mentioning. For one, the quality of the steel used is not nearly as good as that used in the higher-end blades. They will not hold an edge as long as the higher-end blades. The chrome plating also is really cheesy. Someday go to a skate shop, hold one in each hand, and compare the details. You will notice some distinct differences. Even serious beginners should use an intermediate blade. It's not as if an intermediate blade will hinder anyone's progress--because it won't--and the skater will likely skate better on higher quality equipment. That said, maybe Gold Seals, for example, would be overkill for a beginner because although they won't hinder progress, the beginner is not going to take advantage of all the features. However, there's nothing wrong with starting off on an MK Professional or Wilson Coronation Ace if you're serious about skating.

[FigureSpins]

This is a nice blade sharpening guide:  http://www.blade-tek.com/theRadius.html

This one is geared towards hockey, but there are some good concepts: http://www.thebladedoctor.com/skatefacts.html

[FigureSpins]

Found this very well-written blade guide on the Precision Blade website, along with a ton of data and information:

http://www.precisionblade.com/faq.html

[FigureSpins]

I know there are some dead links in this topic, but I came across this nice web page about common issues in figure skate blade sharpening.

http://www.betterfigureskater.com/were-my-blades-sharpened-correctly/